She has a master’s degree and more than 20 years’ experience in public policy and philanthropy – but behind the professional demeanor, Jennifer Jobrack also knows the worrisome realities of life as a food allergy mom.

Jobrack first became involved in food allergy advocacy when she joined the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) in 2010 as its Chicago-based Midwest director. Not long after she began, a Chicago 7th grader named Katelyn Carlson died of anaphylaxis from peanut in food at a class party. It was a galvanizing incident: the girl had no auto-injector at school.

Jobrack soon helped to lead a lobby for Illinois’s stock epinephrine bill, a law that allows schools to keep epinephrine auto-injectors available for students in case of an anaphylactic emergency. Then she was asked to help on similar bills in other states, and when FAI and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network merged to form FARE in 2012, she began to work on advocacy almost exclusively.

Allergic Living is proud to honor Jennifer Jobrack, who today is FARE’s Senior National Director of Advocacy, as its newest “Allergy Advocate”. Her efforts in helping to move forward stock epinephrine laws – in schools and public places – not to mention numerous other accommodations, are having a big impact in the lives of those with food allergies.

In the following conversation, Allergic Living’s Gwen Smith speaks to Jobrack about everything from epinephrine access in public venues and restaurants to labeling misconceptions, airline accommodations and sesame’s labeling status.

Jen, explain to us first: the Senior National Director of Advocacy at FARE – this sounds like a big job. What does it entail?

Jennifer Jobrack: Most of what it entails is representing FARE on public policy and issues that play out at the state and industry levels. I have some interaction with federal legislators and agencies that are relevant to the food allergy world, but when there’s an issue moving through a state legislature or a topic that’s governed at the state level, that’s really my primary responsibility.

A lot of what I do is to work with and support local advocates around the country. We help them to figure out which legislators to work with and how to present an issue. It’s appropriate, and frankly more effective, to have the people who live in these states be the drivers of their own state’s process.

FARE does help behind the scenes. Let’s say there’s a bill that’s coming up for a committee meeting or a vote in a state – perhaps on stock epinephrine. We can send out an action alert to anyone in FARE’s database who lives in that state, and then set up an easy way for those interested in getting involved to contact the appropriate legislator. We will also send our own letters of support. As well, I often help volunteers and advocates with the right messaging and advice.

Now there are those who don’t need FARE’s help. There are great advocates around the country who have been doing this work a long time. While they don’t need my counsel, it’s still nice to work with them.

Most of the time, we want to be asked to work with states. We will be involved if a legislator or advocate reaches out to us, or if we’re concerned that a bill may not be coming together. But we don’t parachute in and take over a process that’s already working.

When there are food allergies in the family, education, inclusion and safety are so important. What are you working on at FARE that will help on safety and inclusion?

JJ: Across all the topics, I think the dominant theme of the advocacy world that I’ve worked on at FARE, and with colleagues here and with volunteers, has been access to epinephrine. The overarching one is making it easy for people who need epinephrine in an emergency to get it.

Schools have been a huge part of the effort, and increasingly we’re working on it with other entities. Governor Scott Walker has just signed a bill in Wisconsin, making it the 15th state to do so.

We haven’t worked in every state on epinephrine, though we’ve worked on a fair number. When it’s appropriate, we provide knowledge about food allergies, statistics, data, medical and other content expertise, and people to show up and testify or to write letters. Plus, we help with publicizing the issue.

Most readers know about stock epinephrine for schools, but what is the aim of other stock epi bills, the ones you’re calling ‘entity laws’?

JJ: The aim is to permit entities that serve the public and where allergens may be present to get a standing order from a physician to keep auto-injectors on hand for an emergency. The definition of those entities generally includes day camps, daycare centers, restaurants, sports arenas and youth athletic programs.

At FARE, we’re happy to see the extension of epinephrine availability, particularly among entities that serve children. I say this because the stock epi laws for schools generally cover kindergarten through Grade 12 to the end of the day, so if a child’s in a daycare center or an after-school program, you may not have the same access. These laws may expand the continuum of where epinephrine is available. Having access to epinephrine is critically important – about 20 to 25 percent of administrations in schools involve people whose allergy was unknown at the time of the reaction.

Prescribing a medication to a school or a sports arena was not a familiar concept. What has been learned about this in lobbying for stock epinephrine laws?

JJ: We’re learning that there are a lot of people who are afraid of epinephrine; there are people who misunderstand the safety of this medicine and the importance of using it first in a severe reaction. There are school officials, medical professionals who work within the school system, as well as medical professionals outside the school system, and legislators who all express concern that epinephrine could be an ‘unsafe drug’. When a school wants stock epinephrine, it gets a physician’s ‘standing order’ as opposed to a prescription. A lot of doctors worry: they’re writing this order and they don’t know who will get it, who will administer the auto-injector and under what circumstances. So they’re afraid that ‘harm could be done’.

One of our messages at FARE is: ‘The grave harm can be done if you wait to administer, if you hesitate’. I think it’s FARE’s job, along with other advocates and colleagues in the medical community, to emphasize that: it’s a safe and effective drug; using it promptly in anaphylaxis may halt a life-threatening reaction; it’s the first line of treatment for anaphylaxis; do not stop yourself if you think it’s needed.

What other lessons have you learned from this work?

JJ: A big one that we have to do more education on is that your reaction history is not a predictor of your future reactions. There are many adults who don’t carry epinephrine because ‘I’ve never needed it before’.

Another lesson learned around stock epinephrine laws is that we’re seeing training of school personnel taking many different forms and being taught by people who may or may not have the appropriate background. So as these laws are being updated, we’ve learned to be more specific about what constitutes robust training, and not leave that to chance.

Does FARE have a way to contribute to that?

JJ: Yes. We’re launching our FARE Education Network, which will equip volunteers to make presentations with FARE-approved, evidence-based materials on food allergies. And we’re looking at other methods of providing that information to school personnel. More information will be available soon on FARE’s website, FoodAllergy.org.

Do you see any big misconceptions in managing children’s food allergies?

JJ: Advisory labels is one area of concern. These are often misunderstood by staff at schools and other institutions that purchase food for kids. For instance, my non-allergic son recently had an end of year party at his daycare. The school has a nut-free policy and yet they were purchasing commercially made ice cream for the party. They decided that the product was not only ‘nut-free’ because it had no nuts in the ingredients, but also that it was ‘nut-safe’ because there was no advisory label. I think food allergy families are generally much better about this than institutional food services, but there’s still some misconception that if there’s no advisory label, then it’s OK to eat it.

FARE’s education staff is doing a lot of work with colleges and restaurants to improve how people understand the ingredients that they’re sourcing.

Ingredients

Method

Cut potatoes lengthwise into wedges. Add to a large bowl, and toss with the oil.

Place wedges onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast 15 minutes until partially cooked.

Remove potatoes from oven, mix in remaining ingredients, and spread out in a single layer again. Roast a further 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Place wedges in a basket, and server warm.

Recipe by Simon Clarke First published in Allergic Living magazine. To order that issue or to subscribe, click here.

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/06/18/lemon-and-garlic-potato-wedges/feed/0Advice on: Making a Flax Egghttp://allergicliving.com/2015/06/15/advice-on-making-a-flax-egg/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/06/15/advice-on-making-a-flax-egg/#commentsTue, 16 Jun 2015 00:43:18 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=35371A “flax egg” is commonly used in vegan baking for muffins and cookies, and it’s a great substitute for the egg-allergic too. Following is the method for replacing one egg, and you can double or triple it as needed.

Ingredients

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

3 tbsp water

Method

Add the flaxseed meal and water to a small bowl. Whisk well.

Let the mixture sit 5-7 minutes to thicken. (Place bowl in refrigerator for more gelatinous ‘eggs’.)

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/06/15/advice-on-making-a-flax-egg/feed/0Wide Testing of Asthma Kids for Peanut Allergy Is Wrong, Say Allergistshttp://allergicliving.com/2015/05/19/wide-testing-of-asthma-kids-for-peanut-allergy-is-wrong-say-allergists/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/05/19/wide-testing-of-asthma-kids-for-peanut-allergy-is-wrong-say-allergists/#commentsWed, 20 May 2015 00:24:22 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=34703A recent study suggesting that children with asthma should be more routinely tested for peanut allergy is being criticized by both major American allergist societies.

Both the ACAAI and the AAAAI are telling the public and physicians that indiscriminate testing for peanut allergy can lead to inaccurate diagnosis (since there are many false positives), and they remind of the importance of the patient’s symptom history in a proper food allergy diagnosis.

Further, they say that without that history of specific symptoms to peanut, health-care resources could be squandered and patients could be unnecessarily directed to follow a strict peanut avoidance diet.

Following is the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) news release on the topic:

A new study promoted during the American Thoracic Society’s annual meeting has received considerable media attention on the topic of children with asthma being prone to peanut sensitization. Sensitization means having a positive peanut test but no clear history of peanut allergy. The study authors suggest that children who have poorly controlled asthma may be more likely to have a peanut sensitization, and that parents should consider having kids with asthma tested for possible peanut allergy.

According to allergist Matthew Greenhawt, MD, FACAAI, “Such testing could potentially lead to misdiagnosis, and represents an unnecessary and unjustified use of resources. While many of the children in the study are peanut sensitive on testing, it raises a question of relevance as to why testing was performed. There is no evidence that diagnosing peanut sensitization better controls chronic asthma. Chronic asthma is not a manifestation of peanut sensitization or allergy. There is no practical value to testing in this situation because these children are not showing any signs of possible peanut allergy.”

Dr. Greenhawt is an assistant professor in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Michigan and member of U-M’s Child Health Evaluation and Research and Evaluation Unit in the Department of Pediatrics. His commentary is on behalf of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI).

Dr. Greenhawt offered additional points regarding this study and the use of food allergy testing in patients with asthma, so that these study findings are not misinterpreted:

• A food allergy results in specific, acute symptoms (e.g., hives, wheezing, cough, vomiting, etc.), developing within approximately 2 hours of ingestion of a suspected allergen. Without such history, testing is not indicated.
• Chronic, poorly controlled asthma is not an indication of a “hidden” food allergy. Food allergen testing was not indicated in any of these patients.
• Positive allergy blood tests (or skin tests) alone are insufficient to make a diagnosis of food allergy. Many more individuals test positive than will have actual food allergy. Testing for the presence of sensitization to a food is of no value, and cannot be interpreted when positive if the patient does not develop symptoms after eating that particular food.
• While approximately 1/3 of food allergic children develop asthma, and asthma in a food allergic child is a risk factor for more severe reactions, these risks are not associated with the asthmatic child under poor control, without a presumption of a known food allergy. Existing food allergy guidelines do not indicate testing in this situation. However, such children may benefit from inhalant allergen testing to better their asthma control.

Peanut allergy affects approximately 1-1.5% of people in the U.S., and can be associated with severe reactions, which require emergency treatment with epinephrine. If symptoms develop within 2 hours after eating peanuts, an individual should be referred to a board certified allergist/immunologist for further assessment and possible testing.

Mylan Specialty has launched a new food allergy awareness campaign, called EpiPen® On Location. The campaign’s first video features Nina Garcia, “Project Runway” judge and Marie Claire magazine’s Creative Director. She speaks about her family, and how they manage food allergies.

For more information on the campaign, and to learn about an exciting sweepstakes program, visit EpiPenOnLocation.com.(Only U.S. residents can participate in the sweepstakes of this U.S.-based campaign.)

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/05/08/nina-garcia-speaks-out-for-anaphylaxis-awareness/feed/0Surveys Show Low Level of Allergy Awarenesshttp://allergicliving.com/2015/05/05/surveys-show-low-level-of-allergy-awareness/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/05/05/surveys-show-low-level-of-allergy-awareness/#commentsTue, 05 May 2015 15:00:24 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=34529A May 2015 survey finds that 49 percent of Americans have either no knowledge or only limited knowledge of food allergies.

Of the 1,031 adults surveyed, there was awareness – about the lack of food allergy awareness. Sixty-eight percent of those questioned said the average American would not know what to do if someone they were with began having an food-allergic reaction.

The survey, released at the start of Food Allergy Awareness Month and conducted for the educational organization Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) and the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology (ACAAI), also indicates the general public lacks understanding of the difference between a food allergy and an intolerance.

Thirty-one percent of those surveyed believed that “level of severity” was was the only difference between a food allergy and an intolerance.

Meantime, a new survey from Canada makes similar findings. In that study, conducted by the Ipsos-Reid polling firm, 63 percent of Canadians said they wouldn’t know exactly what to do if a person sitting next to them at a restaurant began having symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (including swollen lips, wheezing and collapsing to the floor).

Only half participating in the Canadian survey felt they would recognize the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. Fifty-one percent were not familiar with epinephrine auto-injectors and answered that they would not know how to use one.

Dr. Todd Mahr, a Wisconsin-based allergist and fellow of the ACAAI, says he commonly encounters patients who don’t have the correct information about food allergies. “Many people aren’t taking the steps we recommend to keep themselves or their loved ones safe,” he said, noting that he also sees those who assume they have allergies and needlessly change their diets.

This level of confusion has prompted FAACT and the ACAAI to launch a campaign to help raise awareness of accurate food allergy diagnosis and effective management. (Visit livingwithfoodallergies.org to learn more.)

The Canadian survey is part of an education initiative undertaken by the distributors of the Allerject auto-injector. The Awareness Month campaign also involves youth representatives doing media interviews across Canada about the symptoms of anaphylaxis and the emergency steps to take in a severe reaction.

You’ll only use 3 or 4 tablespoons of vanilla sugar for this recipe, but the remaining sugar will keep indefinitely in an airtight container in your cupboard, so you’ll always have some on hand.

Ingredients

12 black or red plums

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Halve plums and remove pits. Place cut side up in baking dish.

Split vanila bean in half and scrape the seeds from inside by running a sharp knife from one end to the other.

Blend vanilla seeds and sugar together in a food processor.

Lightly sprinkle plums with an even layer of vanilla sugar and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

Recipe by Simon Clarke

First published in Allergic Living magazine. To subscribe, click here.

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2014/12/11/vanilla-baked-plums/feed/0Halloween 2014: Food Allergy-Friendly Candies and Treatshttp://allergicliving.com/2014/10/09/halloween-2014-food-allergy-friendly-candies-and-treats/
http://allergicliving.com/2014/10/09/halloween-2014-food-allergy-friendly-candies-and-treats/#commentsThu, 09 Oct 2014 13:00:18 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=29027Halloween is one of the most fun and unique occasions on the calendar. But for families with food allergies, the prospect of trick or treating can be daunting. The great news is that more and more companies are making allergy-friendly and gluten-free products – so everyone can join in the spooky celebrations.

The team at Allergic Living has compiled a list of a few standouts for Halloween 2014.

Note: Always read labels to make sure ingredients haven’t changed.

Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates

Swap your kids’ trick-or-treating bags for the Pumpkin Treat Box from Vermont Nut-Free. This box comes pre-loaded with chocolates that are free-from peanuts and tree nuts. Kids will be happy to hand over the potentially unsafe candies when they get a glimpse of this flashy box.

Scaredy Cats from Premium Chocolatiers are deliciously sweet and anything but grumpy. These dairy-free kitties are perfect for the little cat lovers in the family or those who purr-fer the taste of milk chocolate.

Surf Sweets Halloween Treat Packs are perfect for dishing out some frightfully tasty creepy crawlers to trick-or-treaters. The allergy-friendly critters are naturally sweet and packed with made with organic fruit juice. The Spooky Spiders are also great for decorating cakes and other treats.

Free of: top 8 allergens, gluten-free and made without artificial colors or sweeteners.Surfsweets.com (U.S. & Canada)

Indie Candy

The naturally gourmet sweets makers at Indie Candy have a spook-tacular line of all natural and allergy-friendly Halloween treats . Their Halloween Crystal Lollipop Trio includes a pineapple flavor Ghost, Key Lime Frankenstein and a sweet orange Jack-o-Lantern.

The LavaBalls from Gimbal’s are sure to light up your inner jack-o-lantern. These chewy hot cinnamon candies are an addictive treat for the more daring palates. Keep a bag of these on-hand to stay warm while out trick-or-treating in the brisk evening.

What’s better than dairy-free Halloween chocolates? A Halloween Spider Tote full of dairy-free Halloween Chocolates! Kids will love hauling the cute and creepy bag in search of allergy-friendly treats. Just don’t expect the chocolates to last long – adults and kids alike will find them hard to resist, no matter how scary.

For the little devils and witches that like to chew, Glee Gum offers tasty allergy-safe gum in a variety of classic and sugar-free flavors including wild watermelon, bubblegum and tangerine. The mini boxes are great handouts and kids will love the cute packaging.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The kids will be busy pondering that famous question and putting their theories to the test this Halloween. You can be sure they can do so without the risk of an allergic reaction.

Hand out the allergy-safe treats that all kids will love – Yummy Earth’s Sour Beans snack packs. These pucker-you-up jelly beans are loaded with Vitamin C and will have the ghosts and ghouls salivating for more. Choose from a bag of 10 or a bag of 50 snack packs.

Method

Place pork in a roasting pan and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the tenderloin reads between 145° F -155° F. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil over high heat in a large sauté pan. Add the apple wedges and sauté until caramelized and golden.